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Cable/DSL Routers and Hubs HELP!!!!

A

Alphathree33

Platinum Member
Hello everyone.

I'm setting up a network between two PCs connected to the Internet via a Cable Modem. I have only one IP address. I need both machines to be able to share files, network resources, and most importantly, internet access via the cable modem.

Here's what's happened so far. I buy Windows ME because supposedly it can share an internet connection. Then, I figured I needed a Hub to connect the two computers, so I bought a 5 port 10/100 hub. Now, I'm told the hub alone is not enough, and that I need to purchase a Cable/DSL router from linksys, and... plug the hub into that? And then the router plugs into the cable modem?

This seems like a very round-a-bout way of doing things. I've already bought the hub, and both my machines have winME and also a 10mbit ethernet card... now what do I do!?

HELP!
 
you need just one more network card for your machine.

Your PC will be hooked directly to the cable modem through the first nic card.

the secon nic card will connect to the hubb. and the other PCs will hook into that hub and use ics to get on the internet.

got to run sorry
 
It wont be a fast or reliable one. Well, it will be reliable, as long as the PC with 2 NICS is turned on. And there will be a slight (it will be noticeable) slowdown from the main PC to the secondary one, espically if you are using the 1st one at the time. I'd recommend the cable/dsl router, espically if your Cable Modem requires PPPoE. Linksys (and others) router will allow it to stay online all the time with PPPoE, so you never have to click Login 🙂. Also they have ones with a 5-port 10/100 switch built in, I just setup one for my friend for $169.99 with a $20 mail in rebate from Bestbuy B&M. There are better deals on the web, check Hot Deals forum. It seems to work very nicely for him, no complaints as of yet 🙂
 
Or if you have a 2nd IP adress, you can plug the modem directly into the Hub (via Uplink port usually) and assign one IP adress to each machine, so that they both can be online at same time. Not sure about PPPoE with this, but I dont see why it wouldn't work if you have two IP adresses. This may be cheaper then router, depending on your cable company. Also, if only one computer is on (and therefore online) at a time, then I'm pretty sure you can get by with 1 IP adress.

There are many ways to go about this, I'm just trying to think of them all.

Also, if you have the 2 NIC setup in one computer and a NIC in the other, and you only are going to have 2 computers, get a cross over cable and return the hub, and share using ICS.
 
Alright let me get this clear...

I hook up all my computers to my hub. Then I hook up my hub to my router, my router to my cable modem and poof, there ya have it?

Is it normal for people to use hubs and routers in one setup like this? Since I already have a hub, do I only need a 1-port router??

Please clarify.
 
Ok.. heres is what I have.

On the first machine (server) install the 10mb card. Use that card to connect to the cable modem. (dont worry 10mb is slow but you connection is slower.) In network settings set this card to automatically obtain IP.(under [10mbcard] TCP/IP). Now on the "server" install a 10/100 nic. Make sure connection sharing is installed(its NOT by default). After it is installed run the network setup wizard. Have this computer share connection. On client computer run network wizard, makesure the IP address is close the server but not the same (Ex.90.0.0.xxx) and the subnet shoold be the same and everything else is set.

This works fine for me I run on a client, have a 256k connection and get about 23 kbps downloads on average.
 
yes you only need a one port router - i can't speak for most ppl but they usually buy them integrated, just cause you only have one company to complain to (even if same company, router division is going to be different from hub division probably) - and its easiest this way. The real advantage here is the connectivitiy of the 2nd PC - whether you dont mind the 1st one being on whenever it needs to be on, and the speed of the web browsing on the 2nd one. Plus the added PPPoE benefit of the hub (if you need it?) of never having to logon. My friend's 1st PC performance incrased siginificantly with the router purchase, probably because it was one less thing that his PC had to do (PPPoE processing?) or maybe it only appeared that way to me and him 🙂
 
I don't know what PPPoE is but I've never had to log on. I can format my hard drive, install windows at its most basic level and before installing ANYTHING I can open up internet explorer and my connection works right away. I was always amazed with this-- With a dial-up connection there's tons of config to do, with my new cable modem, my connection pretty much always works, I can't make it NOT work even if I try. I never have to "log in" as you say.
 
Don't waste your money on a router. Just do what Adul suggested: buy another network card and drop into the machine you want to be a "server" and turn on ICS. Windows assigns differnet IP's to each network card, so your computer will be acting as the router for a lot less money than buying some router. The disadvantage is the "server" computer has to be on for the others to get online.

Will this be as fast? Yes, don't let the others tell you it will be slower. Cable and DSL are not NEARLY fast enough to be limited by your machine unless it is really old. (For instance, a Pentium 75, but that won't even run Windows ME, so it doens't matter). The only time it might slow down would be if you were doing some extremely big, intensive, high-priority execution on the server while someone was trying to download from another computer.
 
With the cable modem service I subscribe to, all that is required for mutiple PC's on one modem is to connect the modem to a hub through a crossover cable and connect the hub to each PC with a straight cable. The PC's are each assigned a dynamic IP address. Up to eight PC's can be conected per modem for no additional charge. If you need a static IP address, you can get one assigned for a small additional fee. The modem comes with the service for free and you can do your own installation. When you go to the ofice and sign up they hand you a sack with a cable modem, coax splitter, a short length of coax , a crossover cable, and a couple of sheets of instructions. You hook the thing up and call an 800 number, you give them the MAC address of the modem and they provision it for you. In addition you get a user name and password and E-Mail address for 56k dialup service for when you're on the road or for a backup service and it is completely free. For the life of me I can't understand how the ISP's you guys describe can get away with jerking you around like they do. I guess in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Beleive it or not, there are people around here that complain about the deal we're getting. The local Telco is trying to start a competing DSL service but it's going over like the butterfly ballot.
 
Hmm, now I can't decided what to do. Thanks a lot. LOL ;-)

I could get a router, but maybe I'm wasting money, but maybe I'm not. I want both systems to be viable for gaming and internet access AT THE SAME TIME... maybe the router is a good choice. AH HELL I can't decide!!!

I know, I'll just call up IBM and order 64 Comps each with 22" LCDs each on an independant 100GBps internet backbone and dual TBird 1.2 Ghz with a gig of PC2100 DDRSDRAM each and Nvidia NV20s .. two .. no, three, no, wait, yes, a mobo with several 4X AGP slots, and throw in a PCI video card too, no, wait, yes, muahahha, RACK MOUNTED GEFORCE 2 ULTRAS!!!!, Thousands of them, muahahahaha, all of this connected to a server with a million P4 XEONs @ 25 Terahertz and enough SCSI drives in a gigantic RAID array to fill the library of congress... no.. wait... er.. nevermind

Right. Got a bit carried away. Back to the network... more information and suggestions are appreciated.
 
You can play games and serve at the same time. I know, I've done it before, there wasn't any noticable slowdown, and it was a fairly slow machine to begin with so the change should have been greater than if you have a newer computer. Let's put it this way: The router is easier because you don't have to worry about your server going down or running it all day or anything. But it's also a lot more expensive. If it was my money, I'd run a server and spend the rest elsewhere.
 
The Linksys Cable Modem router works very well and doesnt require any additional software, its very easy to configure, and it doesnt require you to keep one "server" computer on all the time or buy a second network card for it.

For beginners not familiar with Internet Connection Sharing software or how to set up a second network card and internal IP addresses ETC. the Cable Modem router really simplifies the task.

If you already have the Hub you just need the single port Router, but really you don't need the hub, it probably would be better to return it if possible and buy the 4 port Router.

But heres how it all hooks up:

Cable Modem -> WAN port on Router <router> <- LAN Port on Router -> Uplink Port on Hub <hub> all computers plugged into Hub.

or with the No-Hub (4 port Router) just omit the Uplink to the hub, and all the computers plug directly into the LAN ports on the router. Less cables and devices this way.
 
Alphathree33, look I'll put it in simple terms...
You have a cable modem, 1 IP and you need to share it between 2 computers. The EASIEST way is to buy a Linksys 5-port router for around $150 on the web. All you do is hook up the cable modem to the router and the other 2 machines to the router. Like this:

Cable modem -> Router <- computers

The cable modem goes into the WAN port of the Router and the computers go in ports 1-5.

Since you mentioned that you already have a HUB then all you need is the one port version of the same router. That runs around $90 (seen it for less on the web). So then you'll have this:

Cable modem -> Router -> Hub <- computer(1)

Same thing here except there's only 2 ports on the 1 port router, (1) WAN and 1 other port. You just plug the cable modem into the Wan and plug the router into the ports 1-x of your hub.

I use the first option for DSL through 5 computers.
 
Software NAT has been proven to be slower than hardware router/switches. But probably for the casual home user it's not noticeable. If you do a lot of online gaming you are going to want low ping times and given that you HAVE to share the connection, a router will give you the best performance.
 
If you want the cheap route, you do not need a hub or a router. All you need is 2 NICs in the PC with the cable modem attached and 1 NIC in the other. Use a crossover cable between the second NIC in the first PC and the single NIC in the other. As soon as you have this setup, then configure you File and Printer sharing. To use the internet with both PC's use ICS. Works great, I just did it. Paid $10.00 for the crossover cable. I already had old ISA 3Com NICs lying around. Hope this helps.
 
Here's another little problem. The linksys BEFSR41 does have a 4 10/100 ehternet ports, but as far as I can figure, they do not support IPX. This is an issue with some network games.

 
DSL company is sending an external modem that connects via USB. I'm hoping it also has the normal connector. But it probably won't. So does anyone know of a router that will accept connection via USB to the modem itself?
 
All routers have RJ-45 jacks but they are coming out with USB ethernet products. You would need to connect the modem to the computer and then use another networking solution. Belkin makes a USB home network gadget if you dont want to hassle with NIC's and ICS.
 
The main thing is that I don't want to go the server route. I was hoping to use a router so that I wouldn't have to have both machines on in order for the client pc to access the net... damn USB DSL modem... dashed an email off to Linksys asking if they had one, sine they have an ADSL USB modem of their own...
 
if you go to buy.com now you can get the 30 dollar off coupon and use the manufacturer rebate and get the linksys 4 port router for only 100 bux! thats what i did!
 
Yeah, but then I would need to get a normal DSL modem with an RJ-45 cable. The thing right now is that I need to find a solution for the damn USB output from my DSL modem... damn thing doesn't have an RJ-45 output.
 
For any of you guys that are planning to buy a Linksys router, there is a special running at buy.com for $30/$150 and then there's also the $20 rebate from Linksys.
So, just buy something extra over $150
$150
- $30
- $20
--------
$100

Is this a deal or what???

~Hydro

OOOOOooooooooooooops....guess somebody beat me to this.....oh well.... 😉
 
Yeh, but I read in another thread that the SMC barricade is a lot better, $100 shipped overnight from Outpost, and you don't have to bother with coupons or rebates.
 
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